US8267633B2 - FOUP opening/closing device and probe apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A FOUP opening/closing device includes a housing containing a mounting table for mounting the FOUP thereon, an FOUP loading opening, and a delivery opening. The device further includes a rotator for rotating the mounting table, a door opening/closing unit to open or close the door of the FOUP and keep the door open, a mover for moving the FOUP and the door opening/closing unit in a reciprocating manner, to allow the FOUP and the door opening/closing unit to be connected to or separated from each other, and a controller to output control signals for moving the FOUP and the door opening/closing unit via operation of the mover to mount the door of the FOUP to the door opening/closing unit, separating the door from the FOUP, moving the FOUP and the door opening/closing unit away from each other, and rotating the mounting table to make the FOUP face the delivery opening.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an opening/closing device to open or close a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) serving as a hermetically sealed transfer container containing a plurality of substrates, and a probe apparatus having the opening/closing device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In semiconductor manufacturing processes, generally, semiconductor wafers are transferred to, e.g., a variety of processing apparatuses or inspecting apparatuses by using a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) serving as a hermetically sealed transfer container, in order to reduce particle contamination of the wafers. The FOUP includes a door to open or close an opening formed on a front surface of a transfer container main body. For use of the FOUP, a load port located near a processing apparatus is provided with an FOUP mounting table and a door support. As the mounting table is moved to the door support, a key of the door support is engaged with a key hole of the door to secure the door to be opened and supported by the door support. The door support also serves to selectively expose a wafer transfer environment in a processing apparatus (e.g., a wafer inspecting apparatus) to the outside. Generally, the door support is moved downward after engaging with the door of the FOUP to support it, thereby allowing the opening of the FOUP to communicate with the wafer transfer environment (see Patent Document 1).

A probe apparatus for use in a final step of a semiconductor manufacturing process also includes a load port of a FOUP. The probe apparatus has a plurality of, e.g., two, probe units for the sake of enhanced probe test efficiency. This probe apparatus includes a loader in which two load ports are arranged to face each other across a standby region of a wafer transfer device, and the two probe units are arranged in the loader. In this configuration, an arm of the transfer device is moved downward after receiving a wafer from the FOUP and, then, is obliquely reciprocated leftward or rightward to deliver the wafer to a stage provided in any one of the probe units. However, since the door support is located lower than the FOUP, restrictions in layout including, e.g., a wafer delivery position on the stage of the probe unit, or a distance between the load ports are inevitable, in order to keep clear a space for the arm and the side of the door support.

Further, in case of increasing the number of probe units while maintaining a planar quadrilateral shape of the entire probe apparatus, center positions of the probe units located at both ends of the probe apparatus may be displaced because a Y-directional dimension of the entire probe apparatus is determined by a sum of dimensions of the probe units. Accordingly, in order to transfer wafers to the probe units located at both ends of the probe apparatus while avoiding contact with the door support, the load ports should protrude leftward or rightward beyond the probe units. In the probe apparatus in which the door of the FOUP is moved downward, effective utilization of a region below an FOUP mounting region is impossible and this hinders, e.g., arrangement of an electric unit or a pre-alignment unit.

To solve the above-described problem,Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration in which a door of an FOUP is opened and rotated laterally. However, the disclosed FOUP is not universally applicable and is not usable in practice.

• [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2008-91597 (Paragraph 0049)
• [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2003-249537 (Paragraph 0007)

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above, the present invention provides a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) opening/closing device, which may assure an effective utilization of a space below a region for loading of an FOUP and opening of a door of the FOUP. Further, the present invention provides a probe apparatus, which may assure a great degree of freedom in layout by virtue of the provision of the FOUP opening/closing device.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) opening/closing device to open or close a door of an FOUP, comprising: a housing in which a mounting table for mounting the FOUP thereon is disposed; an FOUP loading opening formed on a front surface of the housing and configured to be opened or closed by a shutter; a delivery opening formed on a side surface of the housing to be used to deliver a substrate in the FOUP; a rotator for rotating the mounting table about a vertical axis; a door opening/closing unit disposed in the housing at a position of a rear surface of the housing to be used to open or close the door of the FOUP and keep the door open; a mover for moving the FOUP and the door opening/closing unit in a reciprocating manner relative to each other, so as to allow the FOUP and the door opening/closing unit to be connected to or separated from each other; and a controller to output control signals for moving the FOUP and the door opening/closing unit relative to each other via operation of the mover so as to mount the door of the FOUP to the door opening/closing unit, separating the door from the FOUP, moving the FOUP and the door opening/closing unit away from each other, and rotating the mounting table to make the FOUP face the delivery opening.

Further, in the FOUP opening/closing device, a rotating center of the mounting table may be eccentric from a center of the FOUP toward the FOUP loading opening.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a probe apparatus comprising: at least one FOUP opening/closing device, the device being described in the first aspect; a plurality of probe units arranged laterally at the rear surface of the housing and configured to inspect a substrate by using a probe card; and a transfer device configured to receive a substrate in the FOUP through the delivery opening and to transfer the substrate into each of the probe units while being moved below the delivery opening. Further, in the probe apparatus, at least one FOUP opening/closing device may include two FOUP opening/closing devices arranged to face each other across an arrangement region of the transfer device.

In an FOUP opening/closing device in accordance with the present invention, a door opening/closing unit is provided in a housing of a load port in which a mounting table for mounting an FOUP thereon is disposed, and the mounting table is rotated after a door of the FOUP is separated from the FOUP, so as to face the FOUP toward a substrate delivery opening of the housing. With this arrangement, it is unnecessary to provide a door storage region in a lower region of the housing, resulting in an effective utilization of a space below the load port (i.e., the FOUP opening/closing device). Further, in a probe apparatus having the FOUP opening/closing device in accordance with the present invention, the lower region of the housing in which the FOUP is mounted may be effectively utilized as, e.g., a substrate transfer path, resulting in a great degree of freedom in layout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments, given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a probe apparatus in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically illustrating the probe apparatus in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a side view schematically illustrating the probe apparatus in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a side view schematically illustrating a load port in accordance with the first embodiment;

FIGS. 5A to 5C are first explanatory views of an FOUP mounting method;

FIGS. 6A to 6C are second explanatory views of the FOUP mounting method;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of wafer delivery in the probe apparatus;

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view schematically illustrating a load port in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the load port in accordance with the second embodiment;

FIGS. 10A to 10C are first explanatory views of an FOUP mounting method in accordance with the second embodiment;

FIGS. 11A to 11C are second explanatory views of the FOUP mounting method in accordance with the second embodiment; and

FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating a probe apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTFirst Embodiment

Hereinafter, a probe apparatus having a Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) opening/closing device in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. The probe apparatus, as shown inFIGS. 1 to 4, includes aloader1 to deliver wafers W serving as substrates to be inspected, and a probe apparatusmain body2 to perform a probe test on the wafers W. First, an entire layout of theloader1 and the probe apparatusmain body2 will be described in brief.

Theloader1 includes afirst load port11 and asecond load port12, which are arranged opposite to each other with a spacing therebetween in a Y-direction (a left-and-right direction in the drawing) and into each of which a hermetically-sealed transfer container (i.e., a carrier) receiving a plurality of wafers W is loaded, and atransfer chamber10 located between theload ports11 and12. Thefirst load port11 and thesecond load port12 correspond to the FOUP opening/closing device in accordance with the present invention. Theload ports11 and12 respectively includehousings11aand12a, andFOUP loading openings11band12bare formed on front surfaces (at X-directional foremost sides) of thehousings11aand12a, respectively, such that theFOUP100 is loaded into or unloaded from thehousings11aand12athrough theFOUP loading openings11band12b. TheFOUP loading openings11band12bare provided respectively withshutters11cand12chaving handles, theshutters11cand12cbeing adapted to close theload ports11 and12 at their raised positions, and to open theload ports11 and12 at their lowered positions. Thehousings11aand12arespectively include mounting tables13 and14 therein for mounting of theFOUP100.

Next, theload ports11 and12 (i.e., the FOUP opening/closing devices) which are essential parts of the present invention and theFOUP100 to be loaded into theload ports11 and12 will be described in detail with reference toFIGS. 2 to 4. Here, thefirst load port11 and thesecond load port12 of theloader1 are symmetrical to each other and have a same configuration and, therefore, thefirst load port11 is representatively illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4.

Thehousing11asurrounds theload port11 to define an external appearance thereof and has a delivery opening11dfor the wafers W from the FOUP100 to communicate with thetransfer chamber10. Thehousing11aincludes a door opening/closing unit42, as will be described hereinafter, that opens adoor91 of the FOUP100 and keeps thedoor91 open. While theFOUP loading opening11bis formed on the front surface of thehousing11a, the door opening/closing unit42 is located at a rear surface of thehousing11a. As shown inFIG. 4, at least onekey42aand at least onepositioning pin42bare provided at a surface of the door opening/closing unit42 in contact with thedoor91. The door opening/closing unit42 includes a key rotator (not shown) to rotate thekey42aby 90 degrees. The door opening/closing unit42 is configured to hold thedoor91 by using thekey42aand thepin42bwhen thedoor91 of theFOUP100 is opened. Thedoor91 is opened or closed by rotating the key42a.

The mounting table13 includes a mountingplate60, amover61, and arotating support62. The mountingplate60 has threepositioning pins63 and aclaw64 at a mounting surface for theFOUP100, and aguide member65 at the other surface thereof to guide the mountingplate60. Themover61 includes a drive source, e.g., an air cylinder, to move the mountingplate60 in an X-direction along theguide member65. Themover61 moves the mountingplate60 from a position for mounting of theFOUP100 to a position for opening or closing of thedoor91 that will be described hereinafter, i.e., a position where the key42aof the door opening/closing unit42 is fastened into akey hole92 of thedoor91. In other words, theFOUP100 is fixedly positioned on the mountingplate60 such that when the mountingplate60 is moved toward the door opening/closing unit42, the key42aof the door opening/closing unit42 is fastened into thekey hole92 of thedoor91 of theFOUP100, securing thedoor91 to be kept at a fixed position.

A rotatingshaft41 of arotator40 is connected to the bottom of therotating support62, and the mountingplate60 is provided on eachmover61. Therotator40 rotates the mountingplate60 by 90 degrees. Accordingly, theFOUP100 is moved in an X-direction and rotated about a Z-axis (a vertical axis) by 90 degrees. A rotating center P1 of the mounting table13 is eccentric to a center position P2 of the mounting table13 and, more particularly, is displaced from a center position of the mountedFOUP100 toward thetransfer chamber10 and theshutter11cor12c.

TheFOUP100 may include a plurality of receiving racks, e.g., twenty-five racks (not shown), to receive twenty-five wafers W therein. TheFOUP100 includes thedoor91 to hermetically seal an opening of theFOUP100, and thedoor91 is provided with thekey hole92, at least onepin hole93 and a latch (not shown). Thekey hole92 is configured to be engaged with the key42aof the door opening/closing unit42. Thepin hole93 is to be engaged with thepositioning pin42bof the door opening/closing unit42. The latch is operated as the key42ais rotated in thekey hole92, causing thedoor91 of theFOUP100 to be locked or unlocked. Apedestal94 is provided at the bottom of theFOUP100. Thepedestal94 has positioning holes95 and aprotrusion96 formed at a lower surface thereof to allow theFOUP100 to be fixedly mounted on the mounting table13. The positioning pins63 of the mounting table13 are configured to be fitted into the positioning holes95 and theprotrusion96 is configured to be engaged with theclaw64 of the mounting table13. When theFOUP100 is mounted on the mountingplate60, the positioning pins63 are first fitted into the positioning holes95 and then, theprotrusion96 is engaged with theclaw64. Accordingly, theFOUP100 is fixedly positioned on the mountingplate60.

Awafer transfer arm3 serving as a transfer unit is provided in thetransfer chamber10, as shown inFIGS. 2 and 3. Thewafer transfer arm3 includes atransfer base35, arotating shaft3afor rotating thetransfer base35 about a vertical axis, and a lifter (not shown) for moving therotating shaft3aup and down. Thetransfer base35 is provided with a plurality of, e.g., two,arm bodies30 in a reciprocating manner. Both thearm bodies30 move back and forth independently and serve to transfer the wafers W respectively. A rotating center of therotating shaft3ais positioned equidistantly from the twoload ports11 and12. Also, thewafer transfer arm3 is movable up and down between an upper position for delivery of the wafers W from theFOUP100 and a lower position lower than theload ports11 and12 for delivery of the wafers W from afirst probe unit21A or asecond probe unit21B.

A pre-alignment unit is provided below theload port11 at a position not interfering with the transfer of the wafers W to the probe apparatusmain body2. The pre-alignment unit includes a rotating stage and an optical detector to detect a peripheral edge of the wafer W. InFIG. 2, reference numeral ‘55’ represents the rotating stage of the pre-alignment unit. The pre-alignment unit pre-aligns the wafer W received from thewafer transfer arm3, thus regulating an orientation of the wafer W while detecting a center position of the wafer W.

The probe apparatusmain body2 is arranged to be located close to theloader1 in an X-direction of theloader1. The probe apparatusmain body2 includes acasing22 defining an outer shell thereof. Thecasing22 is divided into two parts by apartition wall20 erected along a Y-direction, both the parts corresponding to outer shells respectively defining thefirst probe unit21A and thesecond probe unit21B. Thefirst probe unit21A includes awafer chuck4A serving as a substrate mounting table, analignment bridge5A serving as a moving photographing unit having a camera to be moved above thewafer chuck4A in a Y-direction (i.e., a direction connecting theload ports11 and12), and aprobe card6A provided at ahead plate80 defining the ceiling of thecasing22. Similarly, thesecond probe unit21B includes awafer chuck4B, analignment bridge5B and a probe card6B.

In thecasing22 of the probe apparatusmain body2, strip-shapedtransfer openings22aand22bextending in a Y-direction (seeFIG. 2) are formed at a sidewall of thecasing22 toward theloader1, such that the wafers W are delivered from/to thefirst probe unit21A and thesecond probe unit21B. Wafer delivery positions, wafer surface photographing positions and probe card installation positions of both thefirst probe unit21A and thesecond probe unit21B are symmetrical about a line which passes through a rotating center of thewafer transfer arm3 and is perpendicular to a line connecting the first andsecond load ports11 and12 to each other. Further, thefirst probe unit21A and thesecond probe unit21B have a same configuration. Therefore, only thefirst probe unit21A will be described hereinafter with reference toFIGS. 2 and 3 to avoid repetition of description.

Thewafer chuck4A in theprobe unit21A is coupled with atable unit23, to be freely moved in X-, Y- and Z-directions and to be rotated about a vertical axis. Thewafer chuck4A is movable to a wafer delivery position for wafer delivery from/to thewafer transfer arm3, a wafer surface photographing position, and a contact position (an inspecting position) where the wafer W comes into contact with probe needles29 of theprobe card6A, which will be described later.

Theprobe card6A is located above a movement region of thewafer chuck4A, and apogo pin unit28 is provided above an upper surface of theprobe card6A. Although a test head (not shown) is generally arranged on an upper surface of thepogo pin unit28, in this embodiment, a test head is arranged separately from the probe apparatusmain body2 and thepogo pin unit28 is connected to the test head via a cable (not shown). A lower surface of theprobe card6A is provided with probes electrically connected to a group of electrodes provided at the upper surface of theprobe card6A. For example, the probes may be vertical needles (wire probe needles) extending perpendicular to a surface of the wafer W and may be distributed, e.g., over the entire surface of theprobe card6A to correspond to an electrode pad array of the wafer W. Thealignment bridge5A is provided with a CCD camera to photograph the surface of the wafer W.

As shown inFIG. 2, the probe apparatus includes, e.g., acomputer type controller15, and thecontroller15 is provided with, e.g., a data processor including a program, a memory and a CPU. Thecontroller15 controls, based on the program, a series of operations including steps of loading theFOUP100 into theload port11 or12, performing a probe test on the wafer W, returning the wafer W into theFOUP100, and unloading theFOUP100 from theload port11 or12. Programs (including programs regarding display or input operations of process parameters) installed in thecontroller15 are stored in a memory medium such as a flexible disc, compact disc, Magnetic Optical (MO) disc, or hard disc.

Next, operation and effects of the above-described embodiment will be described. First, a detailed opening/closing operation of thedoor91 will be described with reference toFIGS. 5A to 6C. Here, since thefirst load port11 and thesecond load port12 of theloader1 are symmetrical to each other and have the same configuration,FIGS. 5A to 6C illustrate only the configuration of thefirst load port11 as a representative example. InFIGS. 5A to 6C, for convenience of description, only the interior of thehousing11a, theFOUP100, the mounting table13 and the door opening/closing unit42 are illustrated and a description of other parts will be omitted. First, theshutter11cof theload port11 is opened to load theFOUP100 into theload port11 through theFOUP loading opening11bas shown inFIG. 5A. Next, theFOUP100 is positioned on the mounting table as the positioning pins63 are fitted into the positioning holes95 of thepedestal94 as described above. When the positioning of theFOUP100 is completed, theprotrusion96 is engaged with theclaw64 to fix theFOUP100 on the mountingplate60.FIG. 5B illustrates the fixed state of theFOUP100.

After fixing theFOUP100, as shown inFIG. 5C, the mountingplate60 is moved toward the door opening/closing unit42 such that the key42aof the door opening/closing unit42 is engaged with thekey hole92 of thedoor91 and thepin42bis fitted into thepin hole93. Once the key42ais engaged with thekey hole92, the key42ais rotated to unlock thedoor91 to allow the door opening/closing unit42 to hold and support thedoor91. Then, when theFOUP100 is moved away from the door opening/closing unit42, as shown inFIG. 6A, the door opening/closing unit42 holds and supports theunlocked door91, and the opening of theFOUP100 is opened.

If the opening of theFOUP100 is opened, as shown inFIG. 6B, therotator40 is operated to rotate theFOUP100 such that the opening of theFOUP100 faces thedelivery opening11d. In this case, as shown inFIG. 6A, the rotating center P1 of the mounting table13 is eccentric to the center position P2 of the mounting table13 and is displaced in an X-direction from the center position P2 toward theFOUP loading opening11bby a distance X1 and in a Y-direction from the center position P2 toward thedelivery opening11dby a distance Y1. Accordingly, as shown inFIG. 6C, if the mounting table13 is rotated by 90 degrees to allow the opening of theFOUP100 to face thedelivery opening11d, the center position P2 of the mounting table13 may be moved in a Y-direction toward thedelivery opening11dby a sum of the distances X1 and Y1. Thus, a center position P3 of the wafer W received in theFOUP100 is moved from an original position thereof P2 before rotation of the mounting table13 toward thedelivery opening11dby a sum of the distances X1 and Y1.

As shown inFIG. 6C, after the opening of theFOUP100 is directed to face the delivery opening lid, the wafer W is taken out of theFOUP100 by thewafer transfer arm3. Thereafter, the wafer W, taken out of theFOUP100 by thewafer transfer arm3, is transferred to therotating stage55 of the pre-alignment unit. During a pre-alignment operation, an orientation of the wafer W is regulated to face a notch corresponding to theprobe unit21A and the center position of the wafer W is detected. After the pre-alignment operation is completed, thewafer transfer arm3 receives the wafer W in accordance with data obtained by the pre-alignment operation such that the center of the wafer W coincides with the center of a wafer holding region of thewafer transfer arm3 and, then, transfers the wafer W by passing below theload port11. The wafer W is loaded into theprobe unit21A through the transfer opening22aand, then, is delivered to thewafer chuck4A.FIG. 7 illustrates the delivery of the wafer W in brief.

After the wafer W is loaded into theprobe unit21A, the CCD camera (not shown) of thealignment bridge5A photographs electrode pads of the wafer W and, simultaneously, a lower camera (not shown) near thewafer chuck4A photographs tips of the probe needles29 of theprobe card6A. During a photographing operation using both the cameras, specific X-, Y-, and Z-directional coordinates in a driving system of thewafer chuck4A are calculated and the wafer W is moved to a contact position obtained based on the coordinates. Then, the probe needles29 come into contact with the electrode pads of the wafer W, and a probe test for measuring electrical characteristics of each chip is carried out by using a tester (not shown) connected to theprobe card6A via the test head. After completion of the probe test, the wafer W is returned into theFOUP100 without being transferred to the pre-alignment unit. These serial operations are implemented under the control of thecontroller15 based on a test program stored in thecontroller15.

After the probe test is completely carried out for the wafer W transferred to theprobe unit21A, the wafer W is returned to theFOUP100 by thewafer transfer arm3. After all the wafers W in theFOUP100 are completely subjected to the probe test, thedoor91 is mounted to theFOUP100 and theFOUP100 is unloaded from theload port11 by performing the above-described operations in reverse order.

As described above, in the probe apparatus of this embodiment, the door opening/closing unit42, which opens thedoor91 of theFOUP100 and keeps thedoor91 open, is provided in each of theload ports11 and12, and thewafer transfer arm3 rotates theFOUP100 from which thedoor91 is removed, thereby causing theFOUP100 to face thedelivery opening11d. This configuration makes it unnecessary to have a conventional device to move and hold thedoor91 below theload port11 or12. Not providing thedoor91 below theload port11 or12 allows a region, which has been conventionally used as a storage region for thedoor91, to be effectively used as, e.g., a transfer region for the wafer W as described in this embodiment. Further, since the wafer W may be transferred to pass below theload port11 or12 when being loaded into or unloaded from theprobe unit21A or21B, a degree of freedom in a delivery position of thewafer chuck4A or4B increases and, thus, the probe apparatus may be easily designed such that outer cross sections of both shoulders thereof coincide with each other without making both outer ends of theload ports11 and12 protrude outward in a Y-direction beyond outer ends of theprobe units21A and21B. Accordingly, this embodiment has the effect of efficiently utilizing a region below theload port11 or12 in which theFOUP100 is loaded as, e.g., a transfer region for the wafer W and achieving a great degree of freedom in layout.

Further, since the rotating center P1 of the mounting table13 is eccentric to the center position P2 of the mounting table13, the center position of the wafer W received in theFOUP100 may be displaced from the original position of the mounting table13 before rotation thereof toward thedelivery opening11dby a sum of the distances X1 and Y1 when the opening of theFOUP100 faces thedelivery opening11d. This eliminates or restricts an increase in the stroke of thewafer transfer arm3, allowing an advantageous size reduction of thewafer transfer arm3.

Second Embodiment

Now, a probe apparatus in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference toFIGS. 8 to 11C. The probe apparatus of the second embodiment has approximately the same configuration as that of the first embodiment except for the interior configuration of theload port11. Thus, the same or like parts as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals. In the second embodiment, differently from the first embodiment in which theFOUP100 is moved back and forth, a door opening/closing unit242 is moved back and forth to open or close thedoor91 in a stationary state of theFOUP100. In the following description of the second embodiment, only theload port11 and elements related to theload port11 will be described.

As shown inFIG. 8, thehousing11aof theload port11 includes a mounting table213 and the door opening/closing unit242. The mounting table213 includes the mountingplate60 and therotating support62, and therotating shaft41 is connected to the bottom of therotating support62. In this embodiment, themover61, which is provided underneath the mountingplate60 in the first embodiment, is omitted because theFOUP100 mounted on the mounting table213 is not moved back and forth. A rotating center P4 of the mounting table213 (seeFIGS. 11A to 11C) is eccentric to a center position P5 of the mounting table213 (seeFIG. 11A) and, more particularly, is displaced from a center position of the mountedFOUP100 to thetransfer chamber10 and theFOUP loading opening11b(inside ofFIG. 8 and seeFIG. 2). Accordingly, as shown inFIG. 11C, if the mounting table213 is rotated by 90 degrees to allow the opening of theFOUP100 to face thedelivery opening11d(FIG. 2), a center position P6 of the wafer W received in theFOUP100 is moved from an original position thereof P5 before rotation of the mounting table213 toward thedelivery opening11d(FIG. 2) in the same manner as described with respect toFIGS. 6A to 6C.

As shown inFIGS. 8 and 9, the door opening/closing unit242 is located at the rear surface of thehousing11awhile theFOUP loading opening11bis formed on the front surface of thehousing11a. The door opening/closing unit242 includes anupright support plate245 arranged approximately parallel to the rear surface of thehousing11aand supported at both left and right ends of a lower portion thereof bysupport arms271 that will be described hereinafter. Thesupport plate245 is provided at a front surface thereof (i.e. a surface toward the mounting table213) with the key42aand at least one suckingdevice243.

The suckingdevice243, as shown inFIG. 9, includes asucker244 and thepositioning pin42bprovided at the center of thesucker244. After thepin42bis fitted into the pin hole of thedoor91 to position thedoor91, thesucker244 is configured to suck thedoor91. In the door opening/closing unit242, thedoor91, which is opened or closed by the key42a, is configured to be adsorbed by a rear surface of thesupport plate245 via suction.

Acover214 in the form of a flat rectangular box is provided at a bottom portion of thehousing11a, to cover the entire bottom surface of the bottom portion. Areciprocating device270 is provided inside thecover214. Thecover214 is provided withslits215 at an upper surface thereof that corresponds to a movement region of thesupport arms271 that will be described hereinafter, and the mounting table213 is located above thecover214. The rotatingshaft41 is connected to the bottom of therotating support62 after passing through thecover214 and thehousing11a. InFIG. 9, for convenience of illustration, thehousing11aand thecover214 are omitted.

Thereciprocating device270 serves as a mover to reciprocate the door opening/closing unit242 from the rear surface of thehousing11ato the mounting table213. Thereciprocating device270 includes twoguide rails272 arranged at both sides of the bottom surface of thehousing11ato extend in an X-direction (forward/backward direction). A movingmember273 is attached to each of theguide rails272 and is adapted to move on theguide rail272. One end of thesupport arm271 used to support thesupport plate245 is attached to the movingmember273.

Thesupport arm271 is an L-shaped member having one end attached to the movingmember273 and the other end connected to the left or right end of the lower portion of thesupport plate245 as described above. A pair of thesupport arms271 is connected to each other via a connectingbar274, and the connectingbar274 has an approximately L-shaped X-directional cross section corresponding to a root portion of the L-shapedsupport arm271.

Acylinder275, such as, e.g., an air cylinder, is provided between both theguide rails272 and serves as a drive source of thereciprocating device270. As shown inFIG. 9, thecylinder275 is provided at the bottom portion of thehousing11a, so as not to overlap with the rotatingshaft41 on an X-Y plane of thehousing11aand to allow apiston rod276 to be extended or retracted in a direction parallel to the guide rails272. A tip end of thepiston rod276 is connected to the connectingbar274.

Thereciprocating device270 is configured to reciprocate in an X-direction as thepiston rod276 is extended or retracted. When thepiston rod276 is retracted, the door opening/closing unit242 supported by thereciprocating device270 is moved toward the mounting table213, and when thepiston rod276 is extended, the door opening/closing unit242 is moved toward the rear surface of thehousing11a. That is, the door opening/closing unit242 supported by thereciprocating device270 is movable back and forth in the X-direction under the guidance of the guide rails272.

The suckingdevice243 is connected to a sucking pump (not shown) via a sucking tube (not shown) Thecylinder275 is connected to a power source such as an air source (not shown). Thecontroller15 controls, e.g., supply of power from the power source to thereciprocating device270.

Next, an opening/closing operation of thedoor91 in accordance with the second embodiment will be described with reference toFIGS. 8 to 11C. Here, inFIGS. 10A to 11C, for convenience of description, only the interior of thehousing11aof theload port11, theFOUP100, the mounting table213, the door opening/closing unit242, and thereciprocating device270 are partially illustrated, and a description of other parts is omitted. First, theshutter11cof theload port11 shown inFIG. 8 is opened to load theFOUP100 into theload port11 through theFOUP loading opening11bas shown inFIG. 10A. Next, the positioning pins63 are fitted into the positioning holes95 as described above (seeFIG. 8) and theprotrusion96 is engaged with theclaw64, thus fixing theFOUP100 onto the mounting table213.FIG. 10B illustrates the fixed state of theFOUP100.

After fixing theFOUP100, as shown inFIG. 10C, the door opening/closing unit242 is moved forward toward theFOUP100 such that the key42aof the door opening/closing unit242 is engaged with thekey hole92 of thedoor91 and thepin42bis fitted into the pin hole (not shown). Once thepin42bis fitted into the pin hole, thedoor91 is caught by the door opening/closing unit242 by suction of the suckingdevice243. Then, the key42afitted into thekey hole92 is rotated to unlock thedoor91. If the door opening/closing unit242 is retracted in the unlocked state of thedoor91, as shown inFIG. 11A, theunlocked door91 is moved toward the rear surface of thehousing11atogether with the door opening/closing unit242 while being caught by the door opening/closing unit42 via suction. Accordingly, the opening of theFOUP100 is opened.

Thereafter, in the same way as the first embodiment, as shown inFIG. 11B, theFOUP100 is rotated until the opening of theFOUP100 faces thedelivery opening11d. Then, as shown inFIG. 11C, after the opening of theFOUP100 is directed to face thedelivery opening11d, the wafer W is taken out of theFOUP100 by the wafer transfer arm3 (seeFIG. 2) and is subjected to a probe test in the same way as in the first embodiment. After completion of the probe test, the wafer W is returned to theFOUP100. After all the wafers W in theFOUP100 are subjected to the probe test, thedoor91 is mounted to theFOUP100 and theFOUP100 is unloaded from theload port11 by performing the above-described operations in reverse order.

As described above, also in the probe apparatus of the second embodiment, the door opening/closing unit242, which opens thedoor91 of theFOUP100 and keeps thedoor91 open, may be provided in each of theload ports11 and12, and thedoor91 may be kept in theload port11 or12. This configuration makes it unnecessary to have a conventional device to move and hold thedoor91 below theload port11 or12 and enables an effective utilization of a region that has been conventionally used as a storage region for the door. Accordingly, in the same way as the first embodiment, the second embodiment has the effect of efficiently utilizing a region below theload port11 or12 in which theFOUP100 is loaded as, e.g., a transfer region for the wafer W and achieving a great degree of freedom in layout.

In the second embodiment, the door opening/closing unit242 rather than the mounting table213 is moved back and forth, allowing thedoor91 to be opened or closed without reciprocating movement of theFOUP100. Accordingly, theFOUP100, the opening of which is opened, does not move back and forth. This prevents the wafer W accommodated in theFOUP100 from protruding from the opening due to the reciprocating movement of theFOUP100.

In the above-described respective embodiments, the probe apparatus is configured such that two probe units are arranged in a line along the loader including the two load ports and the single transfer chamber. However, the present invention may be applied to any other probe apparatuses in which a plurality of, e.g., three or more, probe units are arranged along the loader including the two load ports and the single transfer chamber.

For example, as shown inFIG. 12, a probe apparatus may include a probe apparatusmain body2 in which fourprobe units21 having the same configuration as theprobe units21A and21B of the above-described embodiments are arranged in a line in a Y-direction along theloader1. In the case of the probe apparatusmain body2 including the fourprobe units21, it is necessary to design the loader to load the wafer W into all theprobe units21.

Conventionally, it has been necessary for a width of the transfer chamber to coincide with a width of the probe apparatus main body because wafers are loaded only from the transfer chamber of the loader into the probe units. Therefore, there is a problem in that the loader may be longer than the probe apparatus main body by a length of the load port and a Y-directional lateral portion of the loader may protrude from the probe apparatus main body.

However, as shown inFIG. 12, in the probe apparatus having theload ports11 and12 (i.e., the FOUP opening/closing device) in accordance with the present invention, a region below theload ports11 and12 may be used as a transfer region for the wafer W. It provides the effect of reducing a Y-directional width of thetransfer chamber10 in proportion to theload ports11 and12 and making the Y-directional width of theloader1 coincide with the Y-directional width of the probe apparatusmain body2.

That is, the probe apparatus having the FOUP opening/closing device of the present invention, in which a plurality of the probe units is arranged to form the probe apparatus main body, has a more remarkable effect in easy design of a configuration in which outer cross sections of both shoulders thereof coincide with each other without a risk that both outer ends of the load ports (the FOUP opening/closing device) protrude outward in a Y-direction beyond outer ends of the probe apparatus main body.

The FOUP opening/closing device of the present embodiment may be applied to a probe apparatus using a single probe unit. Even in this case, a region below the load port (the FOUP opening/closing device) may be used as a transfer region of the wafer W, resulting in a great degree of freedom in layout. Further, an electric system or control system unit, a pre-alignment unit or the like may be arranged in the region, thereby providing efficient utilization of the region.

Further, in the first embodiment, thedoor91 is caught by the door opening/closing unit42 as the key42ais engaged with thekey hole92. In the second embodiment, thedoor91 is caught by the door opening/closing unit242 by suction of thesucker244. However, the door opening/closing unit42 of the first embodiment may be provided with the sucker of the second embodiment to hold thedoor91 by suction, or the door opening/closing unit242 of the second embodiment may be configured to hold thedoor91 as the key42ais engaged with thekey hole92 in the same manner as the first embodiment.

The FOUP opening/closing device of the embodiments of the present invention is not limited to the probe apparatus, and may be applied to, e.g., load ports of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using gas treatment or heat treatment, or a coater apparatus for coating, e.g., a resist solution to a semiconductor wafer.

While the invention has been shown and described with respect to the embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modification may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims (19)

1. A Front Opening Unified Pod (FOUP) opening/closing device to open or close a door of an opening of an FOUP, comprising:

a housing in which a mounting table for mounting the FOUP thereon is disposed;

an FOUP loading opening formed on a front surface of the housing and configured to be opened or closed by a shutter, wherein the housing receives the FOUP through the FOUP loading opening such that the FOUP can be disposed inside the housing;

a delivery opening formed on a side surface of the housing, substrates being transferred into and from the FOUP through the delivery opening;

a door opening/closing unit disposed in the housing at a position of a rear surface of the housing and that opens and closes the door of the FOUP and holds the door stationary at the rear surface of the housing, the rear surface being orthogonal to the side surface;

a rotator that rotates the mounting table about a vertical axis between a first position and a second position, wherein the opening of the FOUP faces the rear surface at the first position and the opening of the FOUP faces the side surface at the second position;

a mover that moves the FOUP or the door opening/closing unit in a reciprocating manner, so as to allow the FOUP and the door opening/closing unit to be connected to or separated from each other; and

a controller programmed to output control signals for moving the FOUP or the door opening/closing unit via operation of the mover so as to mount the door of the FOUP to the door opening/closing unit, separating the door from the FOUP, moving the FOUP or the door opening/closing unit to make the FOUP and the door opening/closing unit separated from each other, and rotating the mounting table to make the FOUP face the delivery opening.

2. The FOUP opening/closing device ofclaim 1, wherein a rotating center of the mounting table is eccentric from a center of the FOUP toward the FOUP loading opening.

3. The FOUP opening/closing device ofclaim 1, wherein the FOUP is mounted on the mounting table when positioning the FOUP in front of the delivery opening and the door opening/closing unit.

4. The FOUP opening/closing device ofclaim 1, wherein the door opening/closing unit is disposed stationary in the housing at the position of the rear surface of the housing, and the mover moves the FOUP in the reciprocating manner.

5. The FOUP opening/closing device ofclaim 1, wherein the mover moves the door opening/closing unit in the reciprocating manner.

6. The FOUP opening/closing device ofclaim 1, wherein an entirety of the door opening/closing unit remains stationary throughout opening and closing the door of the FOUP.

7. The FOUP opening/closing device ofclaim 1, wherein an entirety of the door opening/closing unit does not move in a direction parallel to the vertical axis throughout opening and closing the door of the FOUP.

8. A probe apparatus comprising:

at least one FOUP opening/closing device as recited inclaim 1;

a plurality of probe units arranged laterally at the rear surface of the housing, each of the probe units being configured to inspect a substrate by using a probe card; and

a transfer device configured to receive the substrate from the FOUP through the delivery opening and to transfer the substrate into each of the probe units while being moved below the delivery opening.

9. The probe apparatus ofclaim 8, wherein the at least one FOUP opening/closing device includes two FOUP opening/closing devices arranged to face each other across an arrangement region of the transfer device.

10. The probe apparatus ofclaim 8, wherein the FOUP is mounted on the mounting table when positioning the FOUP in front of the delivery opening and the door opening/closing unit.

11. The probe apparatus ofclaim 8, wherein the door opening/closing unit is disposed stationary in the housing at the position of the rear surface of the housing, and the mover moves the FOUP in the reciprocating manner.

12. The probe apparatus ofclaim 8, wherein the mover moves the door opening/closing unit in the reciprocating manner.

13. A probe apparatus comprising:

at least one FOUP opening/closing device as recited inclaim 1;

a plurality of probe units arranged laterally at the rear surface of the housing, each of the probe units being configured to inspect a substrate by using a probe card; and

a transfer device configured to receive the substrate from the FOUP through the delivery opening and to transfer the substrate into each of the probe units while being moved below said at least one FOUP opening/closing device.

14. A probe apparatus comprising:

at least one FOUP opening/closing device as recited inclaim 2;

a plurality of probe units arranged laterally at the rear surface of the housing, each of the probe units being configured to inspect a substrate by using a probe card; and

a transfer device configured to receive the substrate from the FOUP through the delivery opening and to transfer the substrate into each of the probe units while being moved below the delivery opening.

15. The probe apparatus ofclaim 14, wherein the at least one FOUP opening/closing device includes two FOUP opening/closing devices arranged to face each other across an arrangement region of the transfer device.

16. The probe apparatus ofclaim 14, wherein the FOUP is mounted on the mounting table when positioning the FOUP in front of the delivery opening and the door opening/closing unit.

17. The probe apparatus ofclaim 14, wherein the door opening/closing unit is disposed stationary in the housing at the position of the rear surface of the housing, and the mover moves the FOUP in the reciprocating manner.

18. The probe apparatus ofclaim 14, wherein the mover moves the door opening/closing unit in the reciprocating manner.

19. A probe apparatus comprising:

at least one FOUP opening/closing device as recited inclaim 2;

a plurality of probe units arranged laterally at the rear surface of the housing, each of the probe units being configured to inspect a substrate by using a probe card; and

a transfer device configured to receive the substrate from the FOUP through the delivery opening and to transfer the substrate into each of the probe units while being moved below said at least one FOUP opening/closing device.

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